"I had hoped it was coming all along,” O’Connor said smiling to himself. “I had felt that respect from a lot of my teammates and everything but you know it’s awesome to hear coach D (Dantonio) say it.”

This season’s captaincy choices continued a tradition of rewarding players who have forged their path as part of the team's vocal leadership and earned the confidence and respect of their fellow teammates.

The announcement came without a startling controversy as well, nearly a year to the date after the non-captaincy of Connor Cook ignited a questioning frenzy over the former QB's character, leadership and like-ability.

Considered by many to be a non-issue whipped into a full fledged interrogation of Cook's role within the team, the non-captaincy faded into whispers as Cook led MSU to a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff appearance.

Dantonio quelled and fanned the flames, not by his own design, by calling Cook a leader even without a captain's C and by then refusing to answer further inquires into Cook during the year and throughout Cook's NFL draft process.

Dantonio also did not address the media this year about the captains. Some media in attendance remarked Dantonio’s absence was more than likely due to questions about the link between quarterbacks and the captaincy and avoiding the media firestorm of last season.

When the question was posed to this season’s captains the consensus among the three was that it wasn’t necessary for the quarterback to be a captain.

“I don’t think necessarily that it has to come with the quarterback position,” O’Connor said.

After a four year waiting period, O’Connor, recently named the starter for game one against Furman on Sept. 2nd, enters the season having developed under a wealth of former Spartan captain's, people he’ll being trying to emulate while adding his own personality to the vaunted position.

“Joining the cradle of captains they have here is phenomenal,” O’Connor said later adding that the captains are the face

O’Connor, Bullough and Cox all remarked about the pride they felt in being named captain by their teammates and expounded on the good feeling it brought.

“It’s surreal, it’s a blessing,” Cox said. “Such a blessing and I feel honored that they have that much faith in me.”

Cox enters the season having played in 41 games and all 14 games last season. He split time at cornerback and safety in 2015 racking up a career-high 79 tackles, seven pass breakups and three interceptions.

“My main goal is to be a positive light around the guys,” Cox. “Come out here and practice, have enthusiasm, get them when they’re feeling down, it’s day 15 of camp and they don’t want to be here just remind them how blessed we are to be out here and that’s what will carry over to be voted (captain).”

Bullough, comes into 2016 with 138 career tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and seven-and-a-half sacks, four career interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. Named to the Nagurski watch list for defensive player of the year, the linebacker has been the vocal leader of the defense.

“It’s something you have to do as a leader,” Bullough said of holding teammates accountable. “It’s something you get used to as you become a starter, as you become an older guy. It kind of comes a little more natural.”